Hamas terrorists fired a barrage of rockets at Israel on Sunday, around a dozen of them fired from the heavily fighting city of Rafah.
Israel’s Iron Dome missiles successfully intercepted most of the rockets, triggering alarm bells in Tel Aviv and other major cities. The attack came as Israeli forces stepped up operations in and around Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming it was retaliation for “the Zionist massacre of civilians.”
Israel is under increasing international pressure to halt its military operations in Rafah, home to some 1.5 million people who fled the Gaza Strip, and has urged civilians to leave the area where it has conducted military operations against Hamas in order to minimise civilian casualties.
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Hamas terrorists fired a barrage of rockets into Israel on Thursday, about a dozen of them fired from the heavily fighting city of Rafah (Getty Images)
Rafah lies on the border with Egypt and has served as a main artery for humanitarian aid, but Israel seized control of the Gaza side of the border this week and Egypt responded by refusing to let any further aid through.
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Egypt has refused to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing until control of the Gaza Strip is returned to the Palestinians. Following a phone call between President Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt agreed to a temporary diversion through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, the main cargo terminal in the Gaza Strip.
Rafah, pictured, lies on the border with Egypt and has served as a main artery for humanitarian aid, but Israel seized control of the Gaza side of the border this week and Egypt responded by refusing to let any further aid through. (Reuters/Maxar Technologies)
Hundreds of rescue trucks They passed through Israel’s Kerem Shalom checkpoint this weekend, but UN officials said heavy fighting nearby made it difficult to receive aid.
The new aid agreement comes after a US-built “floating dock” on Gaza’s coast was damaged this weekend: it remains largely operational, but four boats that were meant to stabilize it were detached due to heavy weather.
Israeli military vehicles along the border with Gaza on April 24, 2024. (Jack Guess/AFP via Getty Images)
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The US spent about $320 million to build the pier, which serves as a conduit for aid from the US and other countries. The pier has been used to deliver about 569 tons of aid to the Gaza Strip, but as of last week, the Pentagon confirmed that none of it had reached the Palestinians.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
